Screen capture of prototype, showing two different modes of play.

San Andreas Streaming Deer Cam

2015-16, studies for computer-controlled installation

Modified version of Grand Theft Auto V

Live site: sanandreasanimalcams.com

Modification of GTA V that creates and follows a deer wandering through the fictional state of San Andreas. The deer character is autonomous and will wander and respond to it's surroundings, interacting with the existing GTA V artificial intelligence. The piece is presented as a live stream on sanandreasanimalcams.com. This project uses the Script Hook V library to interface with GTA V. More information on modifying Grand Theft Auto can be found here and here.

Venues

Apeirophobia/Aporia, Human Resources, Los Angeles, CA

Out Of Sight, King Street Station, Seattle, WA

63rd-77th Steps, online exhibition, Bari, Italy

Vector Festival, Toronto, Canada

Game Video/Art, part of La Trienalle di Milano, Milan, Italy

Reviews and Press

"Running with the Grand Theft Auto deer," (radio interview), Nora Young, CBC

"Interview: Brent Watanabe,", Matteo Bittanti, Game Video/Art

"Grand Theft Auto deer causes chaos in game world," Mark Ward, BBC

"The Grand Theft Auto Deer is Mesmerizing," Brian Feldman, New York Magazine

"Watching an AI deer wander GTA V is strangely hypnotic," Michael Rundle, Wired

"The Immortal Deer an Artist Set Loose in Grand Theft Auto," Daniel Gerwin, Hyperallergic

"What The 24-hour Deer Dam in GTA V Tells Us About The Game," Chris Priestman, KILL SCREEN

"Watch an invincible deer on the loose in Grand Theft Auto 5," Chris Plante, The Verge

"Modded Deer Is Running Buck Wild In GTA V," Luke Plunkett, kotaku.com

"Artificial Life: Grand Theft Auto V’s Live Deer Webcam," Adam Smith, Rock Paper Shotgun

"Wandering deer wreaks havoc in Grand Theft Auto game world," Adam Boult, The Telegraph

"Game Art: Brent Watanabe's "San Andreas Streaming Deer Cam"," Matteo Bittanti, GAMESCENES

"5 Things You Shouldn't Miss Out of the 5 Million Today*: Art Fair Madness Starts Now," Jen Graves, The Stranger

"Out of Sight: The Pacific Northwest Art Show is Harder, Better, Faster in Year 2," Jen Graves, The Stranger